Customer relationship management system for physical locations

• US 8,489,451 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novitaz, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramchandani, Jayant
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN BRAMER, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US13/530,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.25, 705/14.23, 705/14.53, 705/14.58, 705/14.64, 705/14.67, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A method for outputting information about a person includes identifying the person utilizing a wireless system upon entry into a physical location, and also includes locating the person within the physical structure. An engagement plan is retrieved based on the identification of the person and output. The engagement plan has information useful for interacting with the person. The engagement plan is created based at least in part on personal information of the person, the preferences of the person, and the past transactions of the person. A system for outputting information about a person, such as a customer, includes an object carried by the person, which is capable of being identified by a wireless system. A wireless interface communicates with the object. A computing device correlates the identification of the object with the person. An output device outputs information relating to the person.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of engaging a customer of a restaurant business establishment, the method performed by a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting an interaction of the customer with a website associated with the restaurant business establishment, and storing a website event based on the detected interaction;

detecting a presence of the customer within the restaurant by virtue of a wireless device carried by the customer;

determining an identity of the customer based on the customer'"'"'s wireless device;

storing a plurality of wirelessly tracked events of the customer within the restaurant, the plurality of tracked events occurring before a purchase transaction by the customer at a point of sale device; and

determining prior to the purchase transaction an engagement plan specific to the identified customer based on the tracked events and the website event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the engagement plan to an employee of the restaurant prior to the purchase transaction of the customer in order to facilitate an interaction between the employee of the restaurant and the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the engagement plan as a marketing message directly to the customer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

wirelessly detecting the customer at the entrance of the restaurant based the presence of the wireless device carried by the customer being proximate to the entrance of the restaurant; and

providing the marketing message to the customer inside the restaurant.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the marketing message comprises an incentive portion of the engagement plan.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the engagement plan as a marketing message directly to a mobile device of the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement plan comprises:

determining the engagement plan using customer preferences of the customer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the preference of the customer is a food preference.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the preference of the customer is a beverage preference.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the preference of the customer is a seating preference.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the preference of the customer is a waiter or service provider preference.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an engagement plan comprises:

determining an incentive to provide to the customer prior to the purchase transaction using a profile of the customer, the profile including the stored website event.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an engagement plan comprises:

determining the engagement plan using a preference of the customer, wherein the preference of the customer is stored in the customer profile.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the engagement plan comprises retrieving a customer profile.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the customer profile includes a status of the customer and the status of the customer is based on both the stored wirelessly tracked events and the website event.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the customer profile includes an average amount of time the customer spends in the restaurant, based upon the wirelessly tracked events.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the customer profile includes a seating area of the restaurant that the customer is most likely to visit, based upon the wirelessly tracked events.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement plan includes a description of a food or beverage which was part of a previous interaction of the customer with the website associated with the restaurant business establishment.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement plan includes at least one food or beverage to cross-sell to the customer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly detecting within the business establishment the wireless device carried by the customer further comprises:

wirelessly detecting the wireless device within an entrance area of the restaurant.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s wireless device is a financial institution card carried by the customer.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s wireless device is a smart card carried by the customer.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s wireless device is a mobile phone carried by the customer.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s wireless device is an RFID tag carried by the customer.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an identity of the customer further comprises:

determining a status of the customer on a tiered scale, and

wherein the engagement plan is determined based at least in part on the status of the customer, and the status is based upon at least the website event.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a history of the customer based on the wirelessly tracked events of the customer within the restaurant business establishment.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one food or beverage item purchased by the customer within the restaurant; and

storing an association between the customer and the at least one food or beverage item purchased.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving feedback from the customer; and

storing the feedback in association with a customer history of the customer, for use in creating a future engagement plan.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a frequency of transactions of the customer with the restaurant business establishment for at least one of a type of food or beverage item or a specific food or beverage item.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a purchase history of the customer based on prior transactions of the customer with the restaurant business establishment.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an average length of a visit of the customer to the restaurant based on the tracked events.

32. A computer implemented method of managing a business establishment, the method performed by a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting a transaction of a customer with a website associated with the business establishment, and storing a website event based on the detected transaction;

wirelessly detecting within the restaurant a wireless device carried by the customer;

wirelessly tracking locations of the customer within the restaurant by tracking the customer'"'"'s wireless transponder;

determining, prior to a purchase transaction by the customer, an identity of the customer based on the wireless device carried by the customer;

identifying, prior to the purchase transaction, the customer as having a preferred status with the restaurant, the preferred status based on at least the website event of the customer and prior transactions of the customer within the restaurant;

determining, prior to the purchase transaction, an engagement plan specific to the identified customer based on the preferred status and the website event.

33. A computer-implemented method for using information about a prior customer interaction relating with a restaurant, the method performed by a computer system, the method comprising:

identifying prior to a customer entering the restaurant, the customer performing an interaction with a website associated with the restaurant;

storing, prior to the customer entering the restaurant, information about the detected interaction in a customer history;

wirelessly detecting within the restaurant a wireless device carried by the customer;

determining an identity of the customer based on the customer'"'"'s wireless device, and retrieving the customer history; and

determining an engagement plan specific to the customer that is based upon the stored information about customer'"'"'s prior interaction with the website.

34. A method for managing a customer in a restaurant, the method comprising:

detecting an interaction of the customer with a website associated with the restaurant;

storing an event based on the detected interaction in a profile of the customer in a customer relationship management system;

identifying the customer upon entry into a predefined area of a restaurant by wirelessly detecting a wireless device carried by the customer;

initiating in the customer relationship management system a session upon identifying the customer;

wirelessly tracking a location of the customer within the predefined area by tracking movement of the customer'"'"'s wireless device;

storing in the customer'"'"'s profile in the customer relationship management system events descriptive of the customer'"'"'s actions within the restaurant during the session; and

terminating in the customer relationship management system the session upon detecting that the customer exits from the restaurant.